Performances and Friends
by woodpecking
Summary: It's Tori's final performance with her current production and there's one person that still hasn't seen it and, despite everything, she wants her there. Tori/Jade friendship, Jori if you squint. Just a one shot.


"No," She said outright as she saw the tanned girl heading towards her, her tray of food in one hand and what seemed to be a flyer in the other.

Ignoring the girl, Tori sat down opposite Jade. "Please come."

"No."

"Please? It's the last show."

"No."

Tori pouted and sighed. "Why not?"

Jade shrugged and sipped at the coffee in her hand. "Because I don't want to," She finally said. "Why are you so determined for me to come anyway?"

"Because you're my friend?" Tori asked and before Jade could respond she rolled her eyes and continued, "And don't say we're not." She got up and left the flyer as Jade sighed, reaching over to where the paper was and, as if it pained it to even touch the thing, groaned.

"Fuck," She muttered as she read over it. Folding it over and placing it in her jacket, she got up from her place and left.

**,,,,,,,,,,,,,**

Standing on the sides as she waited for her cue, Tori truly believed that the apparent seconds until her moment on stage were hours. Someone from the opposite side of the stage signalled and, with a final brush of her dress, she stepped onto the stage. Her lines were said effortlessly, the notes were hit perfectly and her presence was felt by all. Especially a particular girl sat towards the back. Her blue eyes followed each movement, listened to every word and, despite herself, enjoyed it. What was once a sense of urgency to leave the building became the want, possibly need, to stay until the curtains were drawn. Jade was fascinated. She nearly cursed the girl but couldn't bring herself to. Hell, she didn't want to. When Tori finally left the stage she couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief – months of work had paid off. She felt she had accomplished so much and from the rounds of applause she could hear and the hugs and smiles from those around her, others were just as pleased. With a final curtain call, Tori left went to her dressing room and began to wipe away her makeup.

"Tori!"

The door of her dressing room burst open and in came her parents followed by Trina who, from what Tori could see, was doing a phone action and mouthing 'call me'. She rolled her eyes while standing up to greet her parents.

"That was fantastic," Her dad said, pulling her into a tight hug.

"It really was," Her mom agreed with an equally as tight hug.

Trina turned and her hands flung out and she waited for Tori to give her a hug. "Tori that was amazing. I mean, I could have done it better but damn you did good girl." It was enough of a compliment for Tori to smile.

"Thanks. I'm kinda sad it's over."

Her mother smiled sadly, "Well it was fantastic but things have got to come to an end."

"Your career is just kicking off though," Her dad added.

Tori smiled and nodded, "I hope so."

"Do you want us to wait?"

She shook her head, "No it's fine, you guys go home. I've got a lot to do here. I'll get a ride home."

Trina was already out of the door while her parents said their goodbyes and once again she was in her dressing room alone. Once she was sat back down and her makeup was removed she sat back and admired the small room that she had grown so fond of. The flowers that decorated the room made her smile until the thought of what to do with them cross her mind. She frowned. _I'll just give them to Jade; she'll have fun cutting them up_. She bit her lip, wondering if the girl had come to her show. While Andre, Cat, Robbie and Beck, and even Sinjin, had come to other shows, Jade had been the only to not come. Admittedly for a couple she had been busy but for the other 7, Tori saw no reason. She rolled her eyes, she doubted the girl had even remembered. She hated the fact Jade couldn't just put their differences aside, how she couldn't just admit they were friends, but what was worse was the fact that Tori couldn't bring herself to actually hate the girl. She doubted she ever would. She got up and began to get changed, feeling relieved to slip on something much more comfortable. As she pulled over her shirt she heard a knock at the door.

"Come in." She was still facing the other way when a silence ensued. She turned around and gasped slightly. Stood at the door with her infamous smirk was none other than Jade West. "You came."

Jade's hands spread out in front of her as if she was revealing herself. "Apparently I did."

Tori was suddenly overwhelmed with happiness. It may have been because all her 'friends' had seen a performance she was proud of, it may have been because she was already happy enough that everything had gone smoothly and Jade was just added pleasure but Tori knew most of the happiness was the simple fact that in front of her stood a girl that had been so against the idea of watching her perform yet had come. Had she? "You did watch my performance didn't you?"

Her eyes rolled. "No, I just paid to sneak backstage and murder you."

"I wouldn't put it past you."

Jade smirked and nodded, "Suppose."

Tori suddenly became sceptical, "How _did _you get backstage?"

"Don't you worry your pretty little head."

"I'm worried. No one's dead are they?"

Jade shrugged prompting the tanned girl to step back slightly. She cleared her throat and bit her lip, nervously trying to word the next question properly. "So, uhm, what did you, you know, think of the play?" She paused before adding, "Of me?"

Jade's mind suddenly began to think of how to answer, dabbling between the option to insult her, albeit sarcastically, or to just tell her how the performance had in fact been, dare she say, good. More than good. She opened her mouth to respond but was quickly pushed to the side as the door opened widely and several, what Jade assume were cast members, came rushing in.

"Tori!" Cries and squeals rang out and Tori was enveloped in a group hug.

Jade cringed and watched the scene, almost feeling awkward but feeling slightly more grateful that she wasn't involved. It gave her more time to think of an adequate response she supposed but for some reason she wasn't thinking much about what to say, her eyes remaining on Tori as she thanked and complimented her cast members. She sighed and shifted on her feet, growing tired of standing on the side as it became clear that no one had any intention of leaving. She sighed and, although she didn't really want it, headed for the door only stopping when she noticed a pen. She picked it up and glanced around for a scrap piece of paper and quickly scribbled down something. Tori had been stealing glances at Jade often but as more people had things to say she got distracted, only looking up again as she saw the girl writing something. She turned briefly back to someone and nodded, smiling as if she had heard what the girl had said, only to look back up and see Jade had in fact left. Her smile fell and she suddenly didn't feel much like talking.

**,,,,,,,,,,,,,**

"Bye. Yeah, just ring me when you want to hang out again. Well done again."

Once everyone had left the room Tori sighed and ran a hand through her hair. She glanced at the clock and suddenly didn't blame Jade for leaving. She had been talking for over an hour and, being Tori, she couldn't bring herself to send people away. Sighing again, she turned and began packing all her belongings, deciding she would come back another day for the flowers, and took one final look around the room before noticing the folded piece of paper that was stuck out from the corner of the mirror. She walked over and pulled it out, opening it and biting her lip, readying herself for insulting words.

'_Let me know if you need a ride home, gone to get coffee_.'

"Oh!" Was all Tori managed before she began scrambling for the rest of her items. She quickly grabbed her phone and called Jade, hoping she was still around.

"Yes, I'm still here," Came Jade's voice before she even managed a word.

"Okay, I'm leaving now!"

She ran most of the way and managed to drop several things but the privilege, because that's exactly what it was, of having Jade West wait for her meant she could sacrifice a few items. Once she was in the car park she glanced around and couldn't see the girl.

"I swear if she's pulling a prank on me…"

"I wasn't," Jade said, causing the girl to drop her bags. Tori turned quickly and saw the girl walking towards her, "I was just throwing my drink away, calm down."

"Oh."

She rolled her eyes and watched as the girl gathered her stuff from the floor. "Hurry up."

"You could help," Tori huffed as she stood back up.

"I _could _do a lot of things," She smirked and began to walk towards her car, Tori following closely behind. She managed to get to the car without dropping anything but struggled to open the door to the car. With a great sigh as if it pained her, Jade opened it for her.

"Thanks."

She didn't reply as she got in herself and started up the car. There was a lot of shuffling from the tanned girl as she got herself comfy and put some of her bags in the back of the car.

"Stop squirming," Jade snapped.

Tori suddenly stopped and very slowly reached for her seatbelt as if any sudden movement would prompt Jade to attack viciously. She didn't though and merely waited for the girl to done before setting off.

A silence ensued as Jade began to drive and, although Tori didn't much like it, it wasn't awkward. Tori bit her lip as she listened to the radio, wanting to turn up the volume but wondering if Jade's rules of never touching her applied to her car too.

"Turn it up if you want," Jade said as if she had been reading her mind.

She reached and turned it up slightly, "It's a good song."

Jade nodded in agreement, "They're doing a show next week."

"They are?"

"I just said so didn't I?"

"Where?" Tori asked, ignoring the snappy comment.

She shrugged, "I don't know, I'm not google."

"I don't suppose you are," Tori said before silence once again. She watched as street signs past and noticed how it was beginning to get darker.

"You have a lot of loud friends," Jade suddenly said.

"Huh?"

Jade turned to her, "Your friends, those ones squealing and throwing themselves at you," She turned back to the road, "They're loud."

"Oh," Tori said, "They are. Nice though."

"Sure they are," Jade said, rolling her eyes.

"They are!"

"If you like obnoxious children, sure."

"I like you don't I?" Tori quipped only to lean away a bit hoping Jade couldn't punch and steer at the same time.

Jade's eyebrow raised, "You like me?"

That wasn't the response Tori was expecting. "Well… Yeah? I mean, we're my friend."

Jade scoffed.

"What? I asked you to come to my show, I've been nothing but nice to you and I stopped you from getting beaten up by that lady man in Yerba!"

"I could have handled that myself," Jade said with a growl. "And anyway, that doesn't make us friends, it just makes you clingy and annoying."

Tori's eyebrows furrowed, "So you came to my show today because I'm just clingy? You waited to give me a lift home when you could have easily just gone home because I'm annoying?" When no response came from the pale girl, Tori rolled her eyes. "It's pathetic. _You're _pathetic."

A much more painful silence ensued and Tori could only be thankful that they were nearly back to her house. She stole glances at Jade but her eyes remained focussed on the road although Tori couldn't help but notice that her face was much less cavalier than usual. She sighed, thankful that the radio managed to mask it. She didn't know why she felt bad considering it was Jade that was being stupid but for some reason she felt guilty. She supposed it was because Jade wasn't used to being called out on her attitude and she especially wasn't used to being called out after doing something considerably nice. Tori bit her lip. She had come to watch her perform and had given her a lift home and even if she was still reluctant to consider them friends, she had done something friendly enough and yet Tori had called her pathetic. With guilt quickly consuming her she readied herself to apologise only to be stopped as the car came to a halt. She quickly glanced out of the window and realised she was back home. She didn't move though and remained staring out in front of her.

"Are you getting out?"

She was snapped back and turned to Jade who was staring at her with raised eyebrows. "I, uhm… Yeah," She mumbled, opening the car door. She swallowed the lump in her throat, picked up her bags and got out. As if it wasn't awkward enough, without much notice to the rock in the drive, she tripped, managing to drop most of her bags with various items falling out and scattering across the floor. She cursed herself for being so clumsy today. Consumed by the hurry to pick the items up and not embarrass herself further she hadn't heard the car door open. Jade appeared beside her and began to help pick up the items. Tori stopped momentarily to watch before shaking her head, brining her attention back to the mess on the ground. Once everything was off the floor, the two girls stood up. Jade awkwardly passed over the bags.

"Thanks," Tori said with a small smile.

Jade nodded, "Whatever." She turned around and began heading back to her car. Tori watched as she left and, although she wanted to say she was sorry, she felt that the girl probably just wanted to leave. She rummaged for her house keys before turning to her door and unlocking it. She was nearly in her house, one foot already in, before she was stopped by Jade.

The girl had turned on her spot just before her car. "Hey, uhm, by the way," She began, only to sigh as if what she was actually tiring, "The show was good. Really good… and," She licked her lips, "And so were you. I mean your dancing could do with a little improvement but other than that… Congrats." She nodded, both her and Tori knowing those were her final words on the matter and despite the slip up of an insult, Tori felt overwhelmed by the comments. She didn't know how to respond and was beginning to feel slightly stupid standing at her door with her mouth hanging open and a considerable blush having formed.

"Stop standing there like a freak, I only said it was good."

"_Really _good actually," Tori said, a grin appearing.

"Yeah, yeah, whatever," Jade mumbled. "I'm gonna go now."

Tori nodded, "See you tomorrow."

Jade rolled her eyes, opening her car door. "I hope not."

"Sure. You can't resist me and my _really _good performances."

"Okay, you can shut up now," Jade groaned.

"Okay, okay, I'll see you at lunch for some _really _good food."

"Tori," She warned.

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry. Night. Have a _really _good sleep."

"I swear to god I will kill you!" She shouted and made a step forward, ready to attack only for Tori to quickly go into her house and close the door over enough to protect her.

"Okay, I'll stop. Thanks. Thanks for, you know, the ride home and especially for coming tonight and for what you said."

"Never speak of it again," Jade sighed.

Tori smiled and Jade, albeit hesitantly, smiled back.


End file.
